Tony Sheldon (NSW, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

I present the eighth report of 2026 of the Selection of Bills Committee. I seek leave to have the report incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The report read as follows—

Selection of Bills Committee

REPORT NO. 8 OF 2026

2 July 2026

MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE

Senator Tony Sheldon (Government Whip, Chair)

Senator Wendy Askew (Opposition Whip)

Senator Sean Bell (One Nation Whip)

Senator Nick McKim (Australian Greens Whip)

Senator Ralph Babet

Senator Leah Blyth

Senator Ross Cadell (The Nationals Whip)

Senator the Hon. Anthony Chisholm

Senator Jessica Collins

Senator the Hon. Katy Gallagher

Senator Jacqui Lambie

Senator Fatima Payman

Senator David Pocock

Senator Lidia Thorpe

Secretary: Tim Bryant 02 6277 3020

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

REPORT NO. 8 OF 2026

1. The committee met in private session on Wednesday, 1 July 2026 at 7.10 pm.

2. The committee recommends that—

(a) the provisions of the Administrative and Judicial Review Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 be referred immediately to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 7 August 2026 (see appendix 1 for statements of reasons for referral),

(b) the provisions of the Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aged Care Commissioner and Other Measures) Bill 2026 be referred immediately to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 11 August 2026 (see appendix 2 for statements of reasons for referral),

(c) the provisions of the Biosecurity Amendment (Improving Operational Efficiency) Bill 2026 be referred immediately to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 28 August (see appendix 3 for statements of reasons for referral),

(d) the provisions of the Cash Distribution Framework Bill 2026 and Cash Distribution Framework (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2026 be referred immediately to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 7 August 2026,

(e) the Customs Amendment (Safeguard Inquiries) Bill 2026 be referred immediately to the Economics Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 28 August 2026 (see appendix 4 for statements of reasons for referral),

(f) the provisions of the Regulatory Reform Omnibus Bill 2026 be referred immediately to the Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 7 August 2026 (see appendix 5 for statements of reasons for referral),

(g) the provisions of the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2026 be referred immediately to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee and report by 28 July 2026 (see appendix 6 for statements of reasons for referral),

(h) the provisions of the Statute Update Bill 2026 be referred immediately to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 7 August 2026 (see appendix 7 for statements of reasons for referral),

(i) the provisions of the Therapeutic Goods Amendment (Medicines Shortages and Other Measures) Bill 2026 and Therapeutic Goods (Charges) Amendment

Bill 2026 be referred immediately to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee and report by 1 September 2026 (see appendix 8 for statements of reasons for referral), and

(j) the provisions of the Universities Accord (Opening the Doors of Opportunity) Bill 2026 be referred immediately to the Education and Employment Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 3 September 2026 (see appendix 9 for statements of reasons for referral).

3. The committee recommends that the Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Amendment Bill 2026 not be referred to a committee.

4. The committee deferred consideration of the following bills to its next meeting:

(Tony Sheldon)

Chair

1 July 2026

Appendix 1

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill: Administrative and Judicial Review Legislation Amendment Bill 2026

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration: Scrutinise legislation

Possible submissions or evidence from: Relevant stakeholders

Committee to which bill is to be referred: Legal and Constitutional Affairs

Possible hearing date(s): July

Possible reporting date: 7 August 2026

(signed)

Wendy Askew

Appendix 2

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

  Name of bill: Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aged Care Commissioner and Other Measures) Bill 2026

  Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration: Scrutinise legislation

Possible submissions or evidence from: Relevant stakeholders

Committee to which bill is to be referred: Community Affairs

Possible hearing date(s): July

Possible reporting date: 11 August 2026

(signed)

Wendy Askew

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill: Aged Care Legislation Amendment (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aged Care Commissioner and Other Measures) Bill 2026

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration:To demonstrate how, in concrete terms, the legislation will work to rectify the serious and disproportionate disadvantages facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities when it comes to aged care. Additionally to seek full clarity on the impact of the legislation on individual contributions.

Possible submissions or evidence from:

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ageing and Aged Care Council National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, Older Person's Advocacy Network Committee to which bill is to be referred: Community Affairs

Possible hearing date(s):

Possible reporting date: 11/08/2026

(signed)

Nick Mckim

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Appendix 3

Name of bill: Biosecurity Amendment (Improving Operational Efficiency) Bill 2026

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration: Issues related digital rights, data usage, data storage and individual privacy

Possible submissions or evidence from: Agriculture peak bodies (NFF, Cattle Australia, Grains peak bodies) Invasive Species Council, DAFF, DFAT, Department of Home Affairs, Digital Rights Watch, Electronic Frontiers Australia, Council for Civil Liberties, Centre for International Justice

Committee to which bill is to be referred: Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s): Weeks commencing August 3 or 10—following school holiday conclusion (inc TAS)

Possible reporting date: 28 August 2026

(signed)

Nick McKim

Appendix 4

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill: Customs Amendment (Safeguard Inquiries) Bill 2026

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration: Scrutinise legislation

Possible submissions or evidence from: Relevant stakeholders

Committee to which bill is to be referred: Economics

Possible hearing date(s): July-August

Possible reporting date: 28 August 2026

(signed)

Wendy Askew

Appendix 5

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill: Regulatory Reform Omnibus Bill 2026

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration: Scrutinise legislation

Possible submissions or evidence from: Relevant stakeholders

Committee to which bill is to be referred: Finance and Public Administration

Possible hearing date(s): July

Possible reporting date: 7 August 2026

(signed)

Wendy Askew

Appendix 6

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

      Name of bill: Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2026

     Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration: Scrutinise legislation

Possible submissions or evidence from: Relevant stakeholders

Committee to which bill is to be referred: Community Affairs

Possible hearing date(s): July

Possible reporting date: 28 July 2026

(signed)

Wendy Askew

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

  Name of bill: Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2026

  Possible submissions or evidence from:

  Committee to which bill is to be referred: Community Affairs Legislation Committee

  Possible hearing date(s): Suggested on the papers only.

  Possible reporting date: 28 July 2026

  (signed)

  Nick McKim

Appendix 7

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill: Statute Update Bill 2026

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration: Scrutinise legislation

Possible submissions or evidence from: Relevant stakeholders

Committee to which bill is to be referred: Legal and Constitutional Affairs

Possible hearing date(s): July

Possible reporting date: 7 August 2026

(signed)

Wendy Askew

Appendix 8

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill: Therapeutic Goods Amendment (Medicines Shortages and Other Measures) Bill 2026, Therapeutic Goods Amendment (Charges) Bill 2026

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration: Scrutinise legislation

Possible submissions or evidence from: Relevant stakeholders

Committee to which bill is to be referred: Community Affairs

Possible hearing date(s): July-August

Possible reporting date: 1 September 2026

(signed)

Wendy Askew

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill: Therapeutic Goods Amendment (Medicine Shortages and Other Measures) Bill Therapeutic Goods (Charges) Amendment Bill

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration: Hear from stakeholders and scrutinize detail

Possible submissions or evidence from: Various stakeholders, government departments

Committee to which bill is to be referred: Community Affairs Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s): 0-1 hearing in late August

Possible reporting date: 1 September

(signed)

Nick McKim

Appendix 9

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill: Universities Accord (Opening the Doors of Opportunity) Bill 2026

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration: Scrutinise legislation

Possible submissions or evidence from: Relevant stakeholders

Committee to which bill is to be referred: Education and Employment

Possible hearing date(s): July-August

Possible reporting date: 3 September 2026

(signed)

Wendy Askew

SELECTION OF BILLS COMMITTEE

Proposal to refer a bill to a committee

Name of bill: Universities Accord (Opening the Doors of Opportunity) Bill 2026

Reasons for referral/principal issues for consideration: Significant change to university funding model that requires inquiry to look at potential issues and impacts.

Possible submissions or evidence from: Universities, peak bodies, student unions, NTEU, academics.

Committee to which bill is to be referred: Education & Employment Legislation Committee

Possible hearing date(s): mid-August

Possible reporting date: 3 September

(signed)

Nick McKim

I move:

That the report be adopted.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

At the end of the motion, add ", but the Regulatory Reform Omnibus Bill 2026 not be referred to a committee".

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the amendment to the Selection of Bills Committee report moved by Minister Gallagher be agreed to.

Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

At the end of the motion, add "and, in respect of the National Self-exclusion Register (Cost Recovery Levy) Amendment Bill 2026, the provisions of the bill be referred immediately to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 17 August 2026".

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the amendment to the Selection of Bills Committee report moved by Senator McKim be agreed to.